Monthly pay runs
Gross-to-net calculations with PAYE, UIF (1% employee + 1% employer) and SDL where it applies, plus branded payslips.
Payroll — PAYE, UIF & SDL
Payroll that just runs. Every month.
Payslips out on time, EMP201s filed by the 7th, UIF and SDL correct, and both EMP501 reconciliations done without drama. Your team paid properly — and SARS kept happy.
Fully managed
Hand it over and stop thinking about it
South African payroll is deadline-driven: PAYE, UIF and SDL declared and paid on the EMP201 by the 7th of every month, IRP5 certificates for staff, and two EMP501 reconciliations a year. Miss any of it and the penalties are automatic.
With Buzz, you send us the changes — new starters, leavers, hours, bonuses — and we do everything else: calculations, payslips, statutory submissions and year-end certificates.
What's included
Everything a compliant SA pay run needs
EMP201 every month
Your monthly declaration filed and the payment amount confirmed before the 7th — never late, never guessed.
EMP501 reconciliations
Both annual reconciliation windows handled, with IRP5/IT3(a) certificates issued to your people.
UIF & Department of Labour
UIF declarations kept current so your employees can actually claim when they need to.
COIDA support
Help with your Compensation Fund registration and the annual Return of Earnings.
Starters & leavers
Contracts of employment aside, the payroll side of onboarding and offboarding is fully covered — tax numbers, UIF, final pays.
How onboarding works
From handover to first pay run, without the stress
- 1We gather your details
Your employees, their pay, your pay dates and your SARS employer registration. If you're not yet registered as an employer, we sort that too.
- 2We bring across year-to-date figures
Switching mid-year? We carry over each employee's tax and UIF figures so nothing is lost or double-counted, and your EMP501 still reconciles.
- 3Your first run goes out
Payslips to your team, the EMP201 amount confirmed, and the SARS submission handled — on schedule, first time.
- 4It just repeats
Each period you send the changes; we do the rest. No changes? Nothing needed from you — the run goes ahead as normal.
What it costs
Simple, per-employee pricing
Payroll is priced per employee, per pay run, with pension or benefit administration quoted alongside where you need it. You get a fixed price before you commit — no hourly billing, no surprises.
It works as a standalone service or as part of a wider Buzz package covering your accounts, tax and bookkeeping. For very small teams a managed service often makes more sense, not less — the SARS deadlines are identical whether you employ one person or fifty, and they don't forgive lateness.
Get it right
Why South African payroll trips people up
SA payroll isn't complicated so much as relentless. The EMP201 falls due by the 7th of every month with a 10% penalty for lateness that applies automatically. UIF must be declared so your staff can actually claim. Two EMP501 reconciliations a year have to tie back to the IRP5 certificates your people rely on for their own tax returns. Miss any of it and the consequences land on you and your employees at once.
That's why so many small employers hand it over. Not because it's hard — because it's unforgiving, and one person quietly carrying all those dates is a risk that isn't worth it. Our full payroll guide walks through every obligation in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Common payroll questions
When is PAYE due each month?
The EMP201 declaration and payment are due by the 7th of the following month (or the last business day before it when the 7th falls on a weekend or public holiday).
What are UIF and SDL?
UIF is the Unemployment Insurance Fund — 1% of remuneration from the employee and 1% from the employer. SDL is the Skills Development Levy — 1% of payroll, payable by employers whose annual payroll exceeds R500,000.
What is the EMP501?
The employer reconciliation that ties your monthly EMP201s to the IRP5/IT3(a) certificates you issue to employees. It runs twice a year — an interim recon and the annual one — and we handle both.
Can you take over mid-year?
Yes. We bring across year-to-date figures and employee records so nothing is lost or double-counted, and your next EMP201 goes out on time.